Pear Ricotta Cake is gluten-free but for everyone, especially around the holidays. It looks pretty, tastes festive and keeps well. Use small, ripe but still a little firm, pears. You can use an apple corer and remove the pears’ cores but or leave them intact. The ricotta makes this cake so moist. It’s a beautiful Christmas or New Year’s cake. Or any time pears are in season.
Lovonis Lark
recipes + wellness
Pear Ricotta Cake
Servings: 10
- 6 large eggs
- 3/4 cup granulated sugar
- 1 tablespoon 15ml vanilla extract
- 17.6 oz (500g) full-fat ricotta
- 1 1/2 cups almond flour (meal)
- 1/4 cup cornstarch cornflour
- 1 teaspoon baking powder
- 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon plus extra for dusting
- Pinch of salt
- Powdered sugar for dusting
FOR THE PEARS
- 6 small firm, ripe pears, peeled (I used small Bartlett pears)
- 1 cup granulated sugar
- 2 cinnamon sticks
- 1 quart (1 liter/4 cups) water
To make the pears:
- Place the pears, sugar, cinnamon sticks & water in a large saucepan over medium heat. Cook, covered, 5 to 10 minutes until pears start to soften. Carefully remove the pears and set aside to cool. The pear-infused syrup that’s left is good in cocktails or drizzled warm over the cake when serving.
To make the cake:
- Grease and line base and side of a 9-inch (24cm) round springform pan. Preheat the oven to 350°F (180°C).
- Whisk eggs, sugar, vanilla and ricotta together in a large bowl until well combined and no there are no lumps. Add the almond meal, cornstarch, baking powder, cinnamon and salt; stir to combine.
- Pour the mixture into the prepared pan. Arrange the pears, nestling them into the cake mixture making sure they don’t touch the side of the pan. Bake for 1 hour 10 minutes or until cooked when a skewer inserted in the center of the cake comes out clean. Allow the mixture to cool in the pan before carefully removing the ring.
- Place the cake on a stand of platter and dust with powdered sugar & cinnamon. Serves about 10